Hugs: And Why We Need More of Them

We have a lady at church named Lara. She is our pastor’s wife, and she gives the absolute best hugs. The BEST HUGS EVER! Our family calls them “Lara hugs.”

When Lara hugs you, you feel like all is right with the world (or it will be).

Lara hugs can last 20 seconds. NO KIDDING. She doesn’t talk, she doesn’t pat you, she puts whatever is in her hands down, and she uses both arms to fully embrace you and give you a hug that is legendary.

And while I know it’s not right to compare, we constantly find ourselves using “Lara Hugs” as a proper noun and comparing it to all other hugs. After a tough day, I’ve even told the hubby that I need a “Lara Sized Hug.” He knows exactly what I need when I say that, and he tries his best to duplicate a “Lara Hug.”

Some research suggests that we “need” 8 to 10 hugs a day to thrive. I could agree with that. However, if you’re lucky enough to get Lara Hugs regularly, you may not need as many

Why do we need so many hugs each day? What are the benefits of a hug? Well, my friend, I am glad you asked. I did a little research, and it turns out there are several reasons hugs are so beneficial.

Seven Reasons Hugs are One of the Greatest Things Ever!

1. Hugs Build Trust

Hugs release oxytocin, a hormone celebrated for reducing the stress hormone, cortisol. This not only reduces fear and blood pressure; it increases generosity, compassion, and trust also.

Some say love is the best medicine. A heartfelt hug gives you the best natural medicine you don’t have to buy.

2. Hugging Makes You Feel Good

With the hugging releasing serotonin and dopamine into your system, your anxiety, depression, or distraction tend to dissolve. Animals in a 2010 study at Ohio State University showed a lack of oxytocin can result in depressive behavior.

We should obviously start giving and receiving more hugs. Look at the popularity of Juan Mann’s Free Hugs Campaign and Ken E. Nwadike, Jr.’s Free Hugs Project. They universally make people feel better.

3. Hugging Doesn’t Discriminate Based on Age

Orphaned children who failed to receive physical contact were studied and compared to kids raised in affectionate homes. The children raised without much affection had lower levels of vasopressin than the others, which affects the ability to bond and accept familial relationships.

By the same token, older people who don’t get hugs or affection feel lonely as they age and lose loved ones. In a program called “Embraceable You,” various-aged staff members in homes for the elderly were encouraged to hug the residents. Those residents who received hugs or touches more than three times a day felt and slept better than others who were studied.

4. Hugging Can Bolster Courage While Healing Hearts

A study showed that hugging and touching can reduce fears about death and increase self-esteem. Even hugging a toy, such as a teddy bear, or gentle touching was beneficial. It makes sense, given the resulting release of oxytocin.

In other studies, hugs for 20 seconds or more were found to release the feel-good hormones cortisol and norepinephrine into the body in addition to the oxytocin, giving people so much relaxing feel-good juice that their pulses lowered by up to 5 beats per minute.

You might say that hugs literally make you “take heart.”

5. Hugging is Good for Your Marriage

Not surprisingly, hugging improves your social support, sense of wellbeing, and close relationships. Studies find that couples who hug more tend to stay together more than those who don’t.

In 2005, couples of childbearing age were studied by the University of North Carolina, and the couples who hugged more frequently had lower blood pressure than other couples.

Also, the sympathetic nervous and cardiovascular systems in postpartum mothers were studied by the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in 2011. Researchers discovered that oxytocin lowered stress responses.

Hugging is an investment in empathy and has a cumulative effect in keeping a marriage strong and healthy.

6. Hugging is an Art Form

Hugs at least 20 seconds long and heart to heart are often the best. However, some people don’t like physical contact and see it as an imposition on their personal space. A truly considerate hugger will ask first and accommodate the feelings of another before trying to initiate touching.

Let me put it this way: if you run up to someone and hug them when they don’t feel like being hugged, it’s aversive. Also, different people have different styles of hugging. Be sensitive, and others will notice and appreciate it.

7. Hugging Reduces Inflammation and Pain

A study at the University of Chicago’s Center for Cognitive and Social Neuroscience found that oxytocin helped animals recover from inflammation following strokes or heart attacks. An Ohio State study found that couples using positive communication techniques healed faster than others. And, a King’s College study in London found that oxytocin could help relieve pain. Other studies have shown that oxytocin can even help muscles regenerate, and that includes heart tissue.

There’s been a great deal of study, practice, and conversation surrounding meditation and what it can do for the body and mind. Remaining present, aware, and accepting of the here and now can soothe stress, make people better problem-solvers, and create empathy. While we don’t often think of this, hugging (and laughter) can have those same effects.

It doesn’t take much time, and it doesn’t cost any money, but hugging your mate and the other loved ones in your life can pay off in peace of mind and enjoyment. Indulge frequently and see how you feel.

Sending you a “Lara” Hug!